Clayton Kershaw’s streak over but still dominant for Los Angeles Dodgers

The Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw saw his scoreless-inning streak end at 41 on Thursday, but he still defeated the San Diego Padres 2-1 with a complete-game performance. (Michael Owen Baker / Staff Photographer)

Clayton Kershaw’s scoreless-innings streak has ended. His dominant pitching for the Dodgers, however, is very much in tact.

Kershaw threw a complete-game, three-hit, 11-strikeout gem, leading the Dodgers to a 2-1 win over the San Diego Padres on Thursday at Dodger Stadium.

Kershaw’s scoreless-innings streak came to an end at 41 when Chase Headley homered to center field with two outs in the sixth inning, but the 50,332 fans gave Kershaw a standing ovation. Two, actually.

Although the streak was over, it was a dandy — the fifth-longest scoreless-innings streak since the expansion era began in 1961. He hadn’t allowed a run since June 13.

It wasn’t the streak’s end that bothered Kershaw.

“I guess (I was) disappointed I gave up the homer,” Kershaw said. “I really don’t care about the innings streak. We’re not supposed to give up runs. That’s our job. More than anything, that tied the game.”

As Kershaw was interviewed on the field after the game, fans chanted “MVP! MVP!”

Kershaw improved to 11-2 for the Dodgers, who lead the NL West. He won his last eight starts and is 8-0 with a .74 ERA over that span. His next appearance will be in the All-Star Game on Tuesday.

Kershaw received a standing ovation after Headley’s homer off a slider and another as he walked to the dugout. The focused Kershaw never looked up. The score was tied, after all. However, he knew, and he welcomed it.

“That’s really cool they know what’s going on and they have a feeling for it and they appreciate what you’re doing,” Kershaw said. “That’s really cool.”

What wasn’t cool for Kershaw were the countless questions on his feelings over the streak’s end. By the third one, a frustrated Kershaw said: “Not good. It tied the game. I don’t really care about the streak.”

To know Kershaw is to know that he cares about winning, and the Dodgers are in good position with three games remaining before the All-Star break.

When Kershaw’s streak ended, there could’ve been a letdown. Not so.

“You’re not going to find Kershaw on a start day unfocused,” said outfielder Scott Van Slyke.

Orel Hershiser holds the longest scoreless-innings streak in baseball history at 59 innings in 1988, the last time the Dodgers won the World Series. Don Drysdale had a streak of 58 innings in 1968. Kershaw’s streak was the longest since Brandon Webb had 42 scoreless innings in 2007.

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Kershaw retired the first seven batters he faced, and Alexi Amarista singled to left to end any thoughts of another no-hitter in the third inning. The Padres own the worst offense in baseball and with Kershaw throwing so well so early, it was surely on the minds of many people.

The Dodgers never trailed.

Yasiel Puig doubled on a ball that hit off Padres starter Odrisamer Despaigne in the fourth inning and trickled into left field. With two outs, Van Slyke singled in Puig for a 1-0 lead. The Padres tied the score in the sixth on Headley’s home run, but the Dodgers took back the lead in the bottom of the frame.

And Kershaw returned to the mound for the inning and retired the side in a 115-pitch game, his third complete game this season and 14th of his career.

“It doesn’t get more competitive than that,” catcher A.J. Ellis said of Kershaw. “You can use every adjective — special, relentless and has the will to win…”

And that’s why the streak didn’t matter as much as another Dodgers win to Kershaw.